Pages

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Being Wealthy vs Being Happy

Is It Possible to Achieve Both

Achieving
wealth and happiness is a puzzle to which very few have the answer. In recent
days, the reporting of the tragic death of Eva Hausing, reportedly due to a
drugs overdose, has once again brought this topic to the attention of the
public. A column by the highly respected Harry Mount, of the London Daily
Telegraph about Eva
Hausing, perhaps captures the emotive nature of this topic best.

Not everyone who has vast wealth has addictions to drugs, obviously. However,
cases such as this simply serve to fuel the fire of those who believe that
wealth and happiness cannot ever coexist happily.

It is the prerogative of the global mass media to focus on bad news stories.
Rarely do we read reports of couples who enjoy wealth and live a quiet,
fulfilling life. That would be boring, and ultimately, sensationalism gets web
page hits or sells copy. Being wealthy, happy, or both, seems to be something
of a crime in global society today. This probably explains why we do not hear about
it too often.

Changing Attitudes

Wealth, in itself, is not what it used to be. A June 2012 study by United
Kingdom banking group First Direct suggested that inflation now meant that an
individual would need £2.6million in the bank in order to live a millionaire’s
lifestyle. The findings were based on the equivalent prices of millionaire’s
“luxuries” twenty years ago, such as luxury property, cars, and holidays.

According to Bruno Genovese, of First Direct, the valuation of money has
greatly changed. What a million pounds may have got you in the past might not
just get you enough now.

Whether individuals are looking to acquire wealth, as they believe it will lead
them to happiness, or trying to understand how to be happier while wealthy,
there are many resources available both in print format and online.

Resources

One website that is currently popular is ‘how
to be rich and happy’, which is aimed at motivating people looking to
acquire wealth and also be happy in life.

‘The Secret’ – a 2006 self-help book from Rhonda Byrne, is also an excellent
tool for adapting thought patterns to be more positive and achieve personal
aims.

While no-one has yet offered anything in the way of advice for rich people,
resources such as those above will enable individuals to be happy while
attaining wealth and when goals have been met.

Happiness is achievable for everyone, ultimately, money is more the vehicle
used recklessly by various outlets to try and prove an empty point.

About the
Author:

The article is written by Rob. He possesses immense knowledge on private equity, and writes on it.